(CNN) - Newly revealed emails between key figures in a political scandal roiling the administration of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were turned over to a state court judge on Monday.

Members of a legislative committee investigating whether Christie appointees deliberately orchestrated traffic jams near the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee last year as part of a political payback scheme suggest the governor's campaign manager was kept in the loop during and after the tie ups.

CNN's GUT CHECK | for March 17, 2014 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

FIRST ON CNN: PUTIN TO RELEASE HIS OWN SANCTIONS LIST THAT WILL INCLUDE U.S. SENATORS… Hours after President Barack Obama authorized sanctions on Russian officials over the Crimea vote, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to release his own sanctions list tomorrow targeting U.S. officials and politicians, the Daily Beast’s Josh Rogin told Brooke Baldwin on CNN’s Newsroom Monday.

Rogin reports that Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, is confirmed to be included on the list. Other potentials include Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, and Secretary of State John Kerry.

President Obama told reporters Monday that the United States wants to make it clear to Russia "that further provocation (in Ukraine) will do nothing" except diminish Russia's standing in the world.

Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov addressed the nation from Kiev on Parliament TV: “We will never accept the annexing of our territory.”

(CNN) - Former President Bill Clinton says that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "highly intelligent" leader but he has a flawed perception of his country's greatness and his quest for power comes at a cost to ordinary Russian citizens.

"Here's what I think about Putin. First of all, he is highly intelligent, deeply, deeply patriotic in terms of Russia but he sees it more in the terms of the greatness of the state and country than what happens to ordinary Russians," Clinton said Sunday at the Global Education & Skills Forum in Dubai.

(CNN) – Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, a high-profile financial backer of former presidential candidate John Edwards, died Monday morning in Upperville, Virginia, according to her attorney, Alexander Forger. She was 103.

Along with her ties to Edwards, Mellon was known for being a major arts patron and donating hundreds of art pieces to the National Gallery of Art.FULL POST

Edwards, who was released from federal prison three years ago after serving nearly a decade on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and extortion, made the announcement at a Press Club meeting in Baton Rouge.

(CNN) - A war of words is erupting in New Hampshire over a pledge from Massachusetts.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Monday criticized former Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who's now taking steps to launch a Republican challenge against Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of neighboring New Hampshire, for not signing a pledge to keep outside money out of the race.

(CNN) - The political action committee for FreedomWorks, a grassroots conservative group known for backing tea party challengers, released a list Monday of incumbent lawmakers it's endorsing in this year's midterm elections.

In the Senate, the group backs third-term Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, who doesn't have a Republican challenger.FULL POST

(CNN) - Rep. Collin Peterson won't be joining the growing list of longtime House members who've announced in the past few months that they'll retire at the end of the year rather than bid for re-election.

The Democratic congressman from Minnesota said Monday that he's running in November for a 13th term in the House. Peterson, who represents Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, which runs along the state's western border with North and South Dakota, made the news on radio station KFGO in Fargo, before making a scheduled formal announcement at a campaign event.

Washington (CNN) - After announcing Ukriane-related sanctions targeting some Russian officials and others, U.S. President Barack Obama told reporters Monday that the United States wants to make it clear to Russia "that further provocation (in Ukraine) will do nothing" except diminish Russia's standing in the world.

He said he believes "there's still a path to resolve" the Ukrainian situation with Russia diplomatically. That would include, he said, Russia pulling its forces back to bases, deploying international monitors, and Russia engaging in dialogue with the Ukrainian government.